2009.06.22

Today was Nishi Nakada ES. It was okay. ALL ENGLISH ALL DAY IN CLASS. It was great. I got to make fun of one teacher to her face. If she's going to treat me like a retarded 3 year old, that is what I shall do from now on. I'm too old for this crap.

I also found out that I'm going to Yanagiu tomorrow. That'll be fun. I'm not cool with missing my school damn near everyday this week. I got today, tomorrow, and Thursday. It's uncool, dudes. Uncool.

Been working on the MoD pictures. I'll hopefully be able to finish them to be able to ship them off this weekend. ...seeing as they are due by the end of this month and mine have a lot further to go than most. Oh well. They'll hopefully be done...soon.

Fighting class was nice. I talked to some different people in class today. Normally I'm not that social, but I was okay today. I'm hoping to become a little more as time goes by.

My face is really itchy. I wonder why? Sweat? Dry skin? Nerves? Some unknown disease? Potatoes?

2009.06.01

I don't know what Japan has done to me, but I'm not sure I like it. This time I am referring to the fact that I used to rarely get sick at all, and now I get sick every couple of months. It sucks...in plentiful amounts. I felt nauseous all of today. I'm not going to fighting because of it.
And, tomorrow I have a scheduling meeting with Nishinakada Elementary School. I'm not looking forward to it. Maybe I can make them hurry up...? Well see. If I'm feeling better tomorrow, I'll head to the gym then. If not...well poopie. We'll see...we'll see...

2009.05.27

Hoho, today probably won’t be that good of a day. I forgot the day’s teaching schedule at home, and I’m already spacing out at 8.25 in the morning. I also have the teacher who I have an irrational hatred of today. If it wasn’t for that fact that leaving would mess up everyone’s day here, I’d so totally tell them I’m not feeling well and go home. But, I can’t do that to them. I really want to though. In all honesty, except for the one teacher who I have irrational hatred for, elementary school isn’t so bad…I’m just not quite over my burn-out from it. The kids are real cuties, and aren’t any worse (or better) than the first years. It’s just the burn-out, man, the burn-out. I don't think I’d have any problems going to Yangiu E.S., but Nishinakada E.S. is a small one to me. It’s so totally burn-out…and that one teacher. Oh well. First period is going to be interesting. Luckily I did remember to make the flash card things.
First period went relatively well. The missing plan on my part didn’t seem to hinder the lesson much. Hopefully the next couple of lessons will be okay…especially since there’s only 3 left. I wonder if I can get back in time for lessons with my middle school…? I have been lately, but that doesn’t mean that I will be able to now.
My irrational hatred burns unevenly. Sometimes I’m completely fine with them, other times just hearing their voice alone sets me off. Oh, it is problematic, but hopefully it’ll simmer down. I think it will.
Apparently there will be a fire drill/emergency drill thing today. We’ll see how that goes. ...It wasn’t too awful. Actually, they just spoke over the intercom. Now I know. If ever in an emergency situation, go into the nearest classroom. Gotcha. But, just so you know, if I’m in the bathroom, I’m finishing first. Nobody likes emergency situations with a full bladder.
I think I have irrational hatred for more than one teacher. Oh Hell.
Third period was okay. Not much to report. Irrational hatred is spread between 2 teachers so it has less depth…which is kinda good.
Elementary school wasn’t too bad. I got back to middle school during 5th period so I couldn’t go to ti, but I did go to 6th. I also thought that the front gate was locked and asked a teacher to open the gate. He said that it wasn’t locked, and I said that I thought that it was…it wasn’t. Hoho, that was good times. It’s a good thing I’ve learned to laugh at myself.

2009.04.28

I had elementary school. I have an irrational hatred for one of the teachers. But, it was fun.
Got back to my middle school and got to go to the last class. It was funner.

I'm going to be leaving in a few hours to go catch the bus to go to Tokyo to go to Narita to get to Bali. It's exciting, really. And hot. At least in Bali it will be. I've last minute cleaning to do...dishes...For some odd reason, I just really don't like to do them.

Well, talk to you all in about a week or so!!
Cheers!

2009.01.30

Went to 1st year of elementary school today. I'm just not really in the mood for it this week apparently. Luckily we had a game to play otherwise I'd probably have fallen asleep. One kid poked me in the butt. That was new.
After lunch (I dropped some of it on my pants, by the way), I went back to the middle school. I had no classes since in the afternoon I have 3rd years, and they all went home early. Kinda sucked, but there's not much to be done about it. I graded some papers, translated parts of a song, stuff like that.
As I was leaving, one of the nurses was as well. She offered to give me a lift, which I appreciated, since she was going to about the same place. We talked about things like motorbikes, and then I asked her about that guy who kept messaging me. She said to change my number - I'm going to think about it. If he stops messaging, then it'll be okay. If not, then I might do that. She dropped me off, and I went home.
At around 9.30, went to karaoke - which is always fun...well, not always - and then to a club to dance. Had fun dancing. It's the most fun I've had mostly sober in a long while. Rather interesting night, all in all. Took a cab back at around 4.30 in the AM, and went to sleep. It was a good night. A good one indeed.

2009.01.27

Elementary school today. I just wasn't in the mood for it today. Luckily it did get a bit better. I found that I enjoyed the male teachers' classes more. They seemed more lively and I appreciate the loud classes - they give you more to work with. Quiet classes are just that - QUIET. At least the loud ones give you a chance to have verbal exchange...some of which is hopefully along the lines of what you wanted to teach. Of course I'm not actually a real teacher. I've only had a few classes to myself, made activities, and spoken. Perhaps if I did more of that grammar teaching it's be a different story, but I have a feeling it wouldn't.

I realized today that if I learned 2 kanji a day from now until the end of May that I'd only learn about 232. Not enough for the JLPT but about 232 more than I know now. I should really get on that. My studying has been almost nonexistent lately. Ant it's not like I don't need to study. I do. A lot. I just need to get into the habit of studying again. I'm never going to achieve my goals unless I buckle down and get serious...serious about about stuff that I should be serious about. Like bar tending. Gotta learn how to make them drinks. Maybe barista-ing. I'm a man of few talents. It's time I made it a few more.

I did get to go to an 1-nen sei class. It was good. I enjoyed it. I found a book in the classroom that I might want to try out...assuming I can find it for ¥100.

Waited for the bus, as one is supposed to do when they want to ride it. I sent out a giant text about Saturday. It's out there now. There's going to be a party at my place, and it's gonna be fun. A PS is involved, so it has to be fun. It's an unwritten rule. Which means that I besta get my apartment in line...

Came home and did a bang-up job on the cleaning. It's not 100% complete, but it's at least at 90%. AT LEAST. I'm proud of myself for this. Granted, it'll be messy within a week, but that is not the point. The point is that at at least one point in time while I lived here, the apartment was clean and orderly. I also did some laundry. Yeah for laundry! Had to wash them gym clothes.

Useless Japanese Word of the day: nanji: thee. It also means 'what time?' if you make it questioning at the end. Oh yeah. I learned that word from a video game. Yeah for video games.

2008.10.27-31

On the 27th, I went to Nishi Nakada ES. It was fun. Not much to report.
The other days I stayed at my school. Not much to really report from that. I'm slowly learning some more names. Got taught a word that, if I had just begun learning Japanese, I probably shouldn't know, but I've learned Japanese for long enough to feel fine knowing yet another naughty word. I think my inability to learn some of the names of the students is getting on their nerves as noted by "え、もう教えた" and then lack of name giving again. Damn retardation in the area of name remembering. Feel in love with the first years again through Halloween activities and with third years through...talking with them. I think I could fall in love with the second years if I were there more often...but I'm not, so it's kinda hard to do that.
Tests in two weeks. That should be fun.

Oh, also had a pretty big earthquake Wednesday night/Thursday morning. And by pretty big, I mean it's the biggest I've ever felt but it really wasn't that big.

2008.10.20

Nishi Nakada Elementary school keeps getting better and better. The lesson was pretty fun...at least for me. I got to possess some kids, and then give them all candy - good deal. I also got to wear a costume...as much as a child's cape and a mini hat go. But, what made the visit golden was that some boy kept yelling out 'panties' and then asked if I knew what that meant and I said yes and then called him "panties-kun" and we all had a laugh. Then they taught me that thumbs down means 'die' in Japan. Not too sure if that is true of if they are just kidding around with me, but, either way, I just laughed along with them. Then their teacher made them say sorry for all the rude things they had said to me (since his buddy did end up joining in the panty/gesture fun). It was kinda cute. I don't particularly care, but I can see why they don't want kids to think it's okay to yell such things out since I know some people who would have been offended.
Went back to school after that, and helped out with one class. Startled some kid 'cause I appeared at a window. It was a good lesson.

2008.10.19

Today I headed out to the subway to go to the Loft to pick up a bag for Halloween goodies, and a couple of movies, when I stumbled upon the Taihaku-ku People Fest. It was kinda interesting, but mostly it was just games for kids, and food stalls. There was dancing, but I didn't stay for long.
At the Loft, I got a pumpkin bag for the goodies. Then, I went to the HMV in Loft. It's a music and movie store. I found Transporter and Transporter 2. I also got a CD. After that, I bought a marker. Just one...and by that I mean 4. I went to get one and then saw three others that looked nice too. But, they will be used, so I didn't buy them for naught. After, I went to Jupiter (a foreign goods store...as in food goods) and bought some cookies 'cause I was going to go to a woman's house to make food (she's teaching me!). So, I got the cookies.
From there, I got on the train going the wrong way, so I got off and got on the right one. From there, I went to my stop, and went into the Mall. I bought some bread...which I ate all of 'cause it is damn good bread.
I finished most of the prep for tomorrow's class. Watched the Transporters and found a good scene to use if it weren't for the nipples showing. Drat. It was possible the best scene of its kinda and it's out the window 'cause of nipples. Drat.
At around 5, I left my apartment to go meet up with the woman who was going to teach me how to cook. We met up, I met her kids and we went to her house. It's a rather nice house. I liked it. And the cooking was a lot of fun!! It was a great night!! I have her eldest son, Takumi, tomorrow at the Elementary School.
She gave me a lift home. After that, I made mini-crabs, and started to write this. I'm rather tired, but I have to study...so study I will, and then it's off to bed.

2008.10.16

Today was school as normal. That is to say that it wasn't a Thursday schedule at all, it was a Tuesday one, and we had something going on in the morning. Today was opening ceremony. That was interesting...in the way opening ceremonies are. After that, had class with the 1 nen-sei's. A couple of them. 2 to be specific. Had some fun with "Who is~?" form. The other class we got to do a speaking activity. I handed by speech over to be edited to the teacher. Over 10 pages of dreamy goodness. I'll see how that 'dreamy goodness' stands up to the test of time...or editing. I think the editing is going to kill it, but that is what I get for not studying...and the teacher gets for asking the foreigner to do a speech.
At about 3.30, I left to go to Nishi Nakada Elementary School for some good times lesson planning. It was good times. I was early. It was a good day. We made a plan. A good plan. A plan-like plan. It's about Halloween. It should be fun. I get to go get a costume over the weekend...'cause one set of classes is on Monday (which I just found out about today). So, good times with quick planning. Halloween is really sneaking up on us here. About two weeks 'til it's here. I'm excited. Are you excited?
On a completely different note, I love my rug. I think I will get the blue one later on. I really just want to go roll on it. In fact, I might just go do that.

2008.09.12

I went to Nishi Nakada Elementary School today. It was fun. I think I like them kids.
Otherwise, not much happened today...other than the fact that some store got robbed by a guy using a pair of scissors. Us teachers got to do patrol as the students went home...2 hours later, granted, but it still got done. We patrolled with the best of them. I've never patrolled harder in my life. Of course, I've never really patrolled either, so it's not very hard to patrol hard under those circumstances.

...that, and I got home at about 7.00...or 7.30ish. Overtime is my favorite time <3

2008.09.01

Today was my first time at an Elementary School. It was fun, but a little tiring. I went to Nishi Nakada Elementary School. I did my self introduction, five kids introduced themselves (sometimes a little more), then we did “Touch your --“ game (with musical accompaniment of ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’), and we finished the day with ‘Color Demon.’ Nothing makes one happy quite like yelling out colors and watching kids run away from you. It makes ones heart alight with joy and happiness. After that, I returned to school (since it was only 13.30), and sat at my desk. Not much to do since I had no classes to go to. Well, that and the school is preparing for the school festival. I handed out toilet paper, and introduced myself to some students who were laughing and acting all embarrassed outside (since that is what one should do when such a thing happens). That one boy didn’t seem to appreciate it, but that is his own problem since there is nothing funny about saying ‘harro’ to your new assistant teacher. I even say ‘hello’ back.
Oh, I did get to help to enlarge a picture and make it poster sized. That was interesting. Another chance to talk at students and attempt to talk with students. Somehow ‘hobbies’ turned into ‘birthday,’ so now I know one girl’s birthday…but I forget her name. But, May 28th. She was born on that day. Whoever she is.